1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to automatic washing machines and is concerned more particularly with an automatic clothes washing machine having means for dispensing additive fluid from a multi-load reservoir thereof into a wash load for a particular operation of the wash cycle.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the loading of an automatic washing machine, clothes generally are deposited through an access door into an open end of a perforated spin tub which is rotatably supported in a stationary drain tub within a cabinet. The washing machine may be cycled through a sequence of operations including a presoaking operation followed by a first liquid extraction, a washing operation followed by a second liquid extraction, a rinsing operation followed by a third liquid extraction, and a spin drying operation. For any of these operations, an additive fluid may be injected into the wash load to enhance the results of the associated operation.
Consequently, there has been developed in the prior art a number of additive dispensing means having respective housings disposed for holding additive liquids until released for a particular operation of the wash cycle. However, the housings of these prior art dispensing means generally are designed for mounting on the terminal end portion of an agitator post extending axially in the spin tub. Thus, each of these prior art dispensing means has a housing disposed in the open end of the spin tub which is adjacent the access door through which clothes are passed. As a result, clothes in the wash load, particularly delicate garments, for example, may be damaged by catching or snagging on the housing of a prior art dispensing means during loading or unloading of the washing machine.
Also, a prior art dispensing means of the described type may have a housing with an outlet aperture disposed over the wash load for releasing additive liquid directly into the spin tub. Consequently, after release of the additive liquid is completed, lingering droplets thereof may accumulate at the outlet aperture and drip into the spin tub at an inopportune time in the wash cycle. Thus, liquid soap in highly concentrated form or strong bleach, for examples, may fall from the outlet aperture of the housing onto particular articles of clothing in the wash load after the rinsing operation is completed. As a result, these particular articles of clothing receiving the substantially undiluted liquid additive may be damaged severely.
Moreover, a prior art dispensing means of the described type may depend upon rotation of the agitator post during a particular operation in the wash cycle for releasing the additive liquid from the housing. Thus, when the agitator post is rotated unidirectionally at relatively high speed, for example, the resulting centrifugal force acting on the additive liquid may be sufficient to cause the additive liquid to pass through the outlet aperture in the housing. As a result, the additive liquid may be delivered to the wash load as a spray having an output which varies erratically and which is difficult to calibrate. Consequently, it is difficult to determine with repetitive accuracy the amount of additive liquid required to enhance the results of the associated operation, as desired.